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Pop Culture Happy Hour

The Sheep Detectives

11 May 2026

Transcription

Chapter 1: What is the premise of The Sheep Detectives?

0.267 - 18.31 Unknown

For a growing number of women, single motherhood feels like the right choice. She locked eyes with me and that was the moment that I knew we were about to have one hell of a life together. On the Sunday Story, how these single mothers are making it work. Listen now to the Sunday Story from the Up First podcast on the NPR app.

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23.825 - 41.924 Linda Holmes

For a perfect whodunit, you need a great detective, or perhaps a whole flock of them. In the new movie The Sheep Detectives, a shepherd is murdered and the sheep who loved and adored him are determined to solve the crime. It's sweet and funny, and it's quite emotional, too. It might change the whole way you see sheep.

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Chapter 2: Who are the main voice actors in The Sheep Detectives?

42.404 - 58.019 Linda Holmes

And murder. I'm Linda Holmes, and today we're talking about The Sheep Detectives on Pop Culture Happy Hour from NPR. Joining me today is NPR film critic Bob Mondello. Hello, Bob.

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58.4 - 59.021 Bob Mondello

Good to be here.

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59.402 - 60.644 Linda Holmes

Or should I say Bob?

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60.664 - 63.028 Bob Mondello

Oh, is that where we're going?

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Chapter 3: How do the sheep characters contribute to the story?

63.048 - 64.13 Bob Mondello

Okay.

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64.15 - 87.889 Linda Holmes

We're starting early. Also joining us is the co-host of NPR's daily economics podcast, The Indicator from Planet Mars. Waylon Wong, welcome back, Waylon. Thank you. So good to see you both. The Sheep Detectives begins with Hugh Jackman as George, a shepherd who lives a mostly solitary life when it comes to humans, but who loves his flock of sheep so much that he reads to them at night.

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Chapter 4: What makes The Sheep Detectives a unique whodunit film?

88.39 - 90.533 Linda Holmes

Specifically, he reads them mysteries.

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91.455 - 92.917 Bob Mondello

Why would he stop there?

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92.937 - 98.145 Waylon Wong

He was just about to say who the killer was. This is torture. It was the maid, right?

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98.564 - 109.159 Linda Holmes

The sheep have internalized the rules and the rhythms of the whodunit. So when George himself is the victim of a murder, the sheep join together to get justice for him, just like he taught them.

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109.68 - 122.918 Linda Holmes

The sheep, who are animated by a visual effects team, get their voices from an impressive voice cast, including Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Patrick Stewart, Chris O'Dowd, Bryan Cranston, Bella Ramsey, Brett Goldstein, and Regina Hall.

Chapter 5: How does the film balance humor and emotional themes?

122.898 - 147.117 Linda Holmes

In town, the human suspects and other observers are played by an equally loaded group, among them Molly Gordon, Hong Chao, Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, and Emma Thompson. It's both a pretty traditional whodunit, complete with clues and twists and a final reveal, and a story about these sheep learning how to go forward in the world without the person who took care of them and loved them.

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147.097 - 163.772 Linda Holmes

And it's pretty darn good. It's based on a book by Leonie Swan. It's an Amazon original film, so we should note Amazon supports NPR and pays to distribute some of our content. The Sheep Detectives is in theaters now. Waylon, I'm going to start with you. Did you like The Sheep Detectives?

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163.752 - 168.897 Waylon Wong

Oh, I liked it a whole bunch. I was so charmed by this movie.

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Chapter 6: What are the differences between the movie and the original book?

169.278 - 196.865 Waylon Wong

It was so cute. It's so funny. And it's really sincere. But for me, not in a treacly way. It is just a cynicism-free zone. And I didn't realize how much I needed to be in a cynicism-free zone, like a rage-bait-free zone, until I got in the theater and I was watching this movie. And... This movie has such obvious affection for the cozy mystery genre, which I love.

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196.946 - 208.338 Waylon Wong

Like you can tell they take it seriously and they want to make like a true like exemplar of the form, you know, and I think it really respects its audience as well. It like doesn't look down on people who like cozy mysteries.

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Chapter 7: How do the human characters interact with the sheep in the film?

208.878 - 213.503 Waylon Wong

Honestly, I was shocked this got a theatrical release, but I'm really glad it did. It's great.

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213.523 - 217.367 Linda Holmes

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Bob, how about you? Do you like those sheep detectives?

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217.347 - 229.911 Bob Mondello

I had such a good time with this movie. I guess I was expecting to. When I saw the trailer, I thought, okay, this is funny. All I could think was sheer idiocy, right? And they don't bleed around the bush.

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Chapter 8: What are the overall impressions of The Sheep Detectives?

230.672 - 234.68 Bob Mondello

And I've probably got 20 of those. It's a great reunion for all these people.

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234.82 - 236.463 Waylon Wong

Keep them coming. I like it.

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236.483 - 251.5 Bob Mondello

I had such a good time watching it. And was trying to figure out what it was exactly. And the scene that did it for me was when they were trying to cross the road. Sheep had never seen a road and they didn't know what to do when they got there. It just wasn't the same surface.

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251.8 - 252.701 Unknown

Mopple, what is that?

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252.981 - 256.765 Bob Mondello

I think it's a road. But what is it made of? Well, not grass. I can tell you that. Lily?

256.825 - 258.547 Unknown

Yes?

259.288 - 259.908 Bob Mondello

Are you coming?

260.929 - 264.513 Unknown

I'm just, um... You go on ahead.

264.933 - 273.891 Bob Mondello

And I thought, they're very brave. I was really sort of sympathizing with them and empathizing with them. They've got me now. I'm hooked. It's over. It's done. I love it.

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